"Oh, Kaze!" Klein calls out to me, coming up from the down the street as I approach Kunimittz's house. He waves to me and I look over at him. Dale is walking with him.
"The meeting finally finish up?" I ask curiously as Klein reaches me, just as I cross the street to Kunimittz' house. Klein nods.
"Yeah. I'll explain what happened inside." Klein replies, opening the door and heading inside, followed by Dale. I follow them inside.
I hadn't yet been in Kunimittz's house, but I could already tell it was a nicer house than mine. For one, it was larger, with a separate kitchen and living space, and there was a loft for one bedroom, accessed by a ladder, while the other two bedrooms were at separate ends of the houses, with one facing the main street and the other facing the side street.
"Wow, really making me feel like I'm living in a shack, Kunimittz!" I remark, chuckling. Issin laughs.
"I was talking with Kunimittz earlier and he explained that he had already had some offers made on the house. Seems that snagging it at base price was a good idea. Resale is what, 180% right now?" Issin comments, looking at Kunimittz for confirmation. Kunimittz nods.
"178% specifically, but yes. Once players started to really pour into town, seems my house became a piece of prime real estate. I'm feeling rather vindicated and expect apologies for your complaints." Kunimittz responds, drinking a beer at the table in the kitchen. I whistle.
"Yeah yeah, sorry for bitching, rich guy." I chuckle, waving my hand dismissively as I sit at the table. Klein grabs a beer from the kitchen and joins everyone else already at the table.
"So, how was the meeting?" I ask.
"Well, it was a meeting. Basically all the different committed clearers were there. Basically, the main discussion was what we expect to find and how to coordinate efforts to find the boss room. There was some frustration that the information the beta testers had provided was insufficient for finding the boss room. But the main topic was essentially for creating a more "unified" front for finding the boss room and killing the boss." Klein explains as the others nod and listen, drinking or snacking on the various dishes laid out on the table. I grab a cookie, eating it as I listen to the others.
"That makes sense. No one has yet found the boss, correct?" Harry asks curiously, sipping his beer and grabbing a roll from the table. Dale nods in confirmation.
"Klein suggested we organize an actual hunting group to find the boss room with members from different parties that had been into the dungeon. That way we could put heads together and pool knowledge." Dale explains. Kunimittz and Issin nod.
"That would make sense. What was the consensus there?" Kunimittz asks.
"Positive. You, Issin and I are to meet up outside of town tomorrow, where we will link up with other attachments from other parties and delve into the dungeon together. We'll essentially spend all day exploring the dungeons based on places no one has checked yet to triangulate the boss' location." Klein explains, gesturing to Issin and Kunimittz who nod understandingly.
"We were hoping the rest of you would be willing to go around and stockpile crystals and such. We'll each give you some money so we can pool money to buy more, but if and when we find the boss, we want to ensure we aren't competing for resources with other players." Dale states, looking at me. I nod.
"That seems reasonable." I nod. Klein nods gratefully.
"Thank you. That takes care of that then." Klein replies.
"Is there a reason that no one has located the boss room yet? Like, sure, it's a labyrinth in there and that has to be part of it, but it has still been a month. It doesn't exactly make sense." Dynamm asks after a moment.
"That was actually discussed. Apparently there's another player that has been frequenting the dungeon and people have been avoiding that player." Dale explains as Dynamm scratches his chin curiously.
"Why are they avoiding the player?" Issin asks.
"Apparently they essentially keep running the parties off, insisting they want to find the boss room and kill the boss themselves." Klein replies.
"Themselves? Like… solo?" Harry asks, leaning forward in surprise. "Is that even possible?"
"Seems this player thinks it is." Dale says, shrugging. "Those who encountered this player thought they were a beta tester but they apparently aren't. They insisted they were a new player. But regardless, of the parties that ran into the player, all insist that they are an extremely capable fighter, probably the best fighter in the game at present." Dale continues.
"Basically, even if there was a decision to dislodge this player, there'd be a high risk of casualties, so everyone thus far has decided to just give them a berth." Klein states, shrugging.
"So, who is this player? I feel like we should be on the lookout if we are going into the dungeon tomorrow. That way I know who to avoid." Kunimittz asks, sipping his beer.
"Not a lot known, really. Like Kaze and Klein, they use a katana. But they wear a white and blue cloak with a hood, so we don't have much information to go off of on what they look like. Just a general 'avoid katana wielding cloaked players.'" Dale answers back. I nod.
"White and blue huh? I actually saw such a player a couple times. Once back in Horunka and once when we were house shopping. I'm thinking they are the player that first reached Tolbana." I speak up, realizing that I recognized the description Dale gave.
"Really? Did you get to talk to them? Learn anything?" Klein asks hopefully, but I shake my head.
"The first time, they were booking it down the road and the second time, I was just watching them enter a tavern from a distance. I only remember them because of the cloak." I explain and shrug.
"Well, that would explain why they are so good. They are well ahead of the majority of players." Klein responds, nodding.
"Why are they so determined to find and solo the boss?" Harry asks, curiously. "It's a bit risky, isn't it? I could understand if the stakes weren't death but… It just doesn't make sense." He adds, taking a bite out of a roll. Kunimittz shrugs.
"Who knows? Glory? Maybe they're just arrogant or broken in the head." Kunimittz theorizes, finishing his beer.
"Anyhow, moving on, from what you described, it sounds like beta testers aren't very popular." I comment, grabbing a dried sausage to eat and wash down with water.
"Yeah, people feel they aren't doing enough or not helping players, stuff like that. There was an outburst by a player today complaining about beta testers. Had to be calmed down by another player at the meeting." Klein explains, shrugging.
"I can get the sentiment I guess. But I also don't see any particular reason why the beta testers should matter. Something like 300 of the currently dead players are beta testers right? Sounds like they have as much or more on their plate. There were 10,000 of us to start. With 2,000 dead, compared to 300 out of 1,000 the beta testers, the beta testers are almost twice as likely to die it seems." Dale comments, scratching his neck and frowning.
"People need someone to blame. That's always been the case. There's always gotta be a scapegoat, especially if you're too scared, incompetent, or incapable of motivating changes in your environment that you desire." I state cynically, blinking away thoughts and images of Britain, of the abuse Artoria suffered at the hands of ungrateful bastards. I felt my mood take a turn for the worst and grab a beer before returning to the table.
"That's a pretty pessimistic view of things." Klein responds, but I just shrug.
"It's true though." I affirm. Klein winces and scowls.
"Touche." He concedes reluctantly.
"So, moving on… what did you all gain from the dungeon?" Dale asks, looking at Issin, Dynamm and me.
"Ah, right. So we got enough materials to upgrade most of our equipment one more time, which we'll probably do tomorrow. We got farther than your group did the other day, ended up turning around after getting attacked by three kobolds all at once. Figured any further would cause us to get in harder fights that might delay us" Dynamm replies.
"Fair enough. Same story as us pretty much. Our pathway increased in difficulty pretty quickly though. It seems we picked the hard mode path." Harry responds, chuckling.
"Good exercise though." Kunimittz comments jokingly.
"Fair. But anyhow, there definitely were a couple tense spots. Kinda surprised that mystery girl handled so well. But also, it's no surprise she passed out. I wouldn't want to be down there alone." Harry says, thinking.
"Oh right, what happened to her? Did she wake up?" Klein asks, concernedly, looking at Kunimittz and Harry.
"No, not when we last saw her. She's resting up at Kaze's house." Kunimittz answers, jutting a thumb at me. I nod.
"That's why Artoria isn't with me. She's keeping an eye over sleeping beauty." I elaborate. Klein and Dale nod.
"Gotcha. You should see if she wants to join our party when she wakes up. If she has survived alone so deep in the dungeon, she's a good fighter, and we don't have any ultra high speed fighters." Dale suggests. I look at him, then at the ceiling, thinking.
True. But I also know nothing about her. Hell, if I didn't have Klein to vouch for you all, I'd probably have been reluctant to party up with you all. What if she's a thief or something? I think to myself. Though… Dale is right. Her speed would be an asset. Especially with Dynamm, Issin, Harry, Kunimittz, and Dale all being equipped to slow down or keep the enemy at range. I weigh my options and reach a decision and look at Dale again.
"Sure, I'll pass an invite along. No promises though. She still has to accept an invite." I respond, nodding decisively to affirm my decision to myself and put together a plate of food from the dishes on the table.
"So, Dynamm, anything in the handbook about the boss itself?" I ask, looking at Dynamm as I eat a roll.
"'Illfang the Kobold Lord' is apparently the guy's name. He's supported by sentinels, and he uses and ax and shield before switching to a Talwar later on." Dynamm reports.
"Talwar? Remind me what that is?" Harry asks curiously. I recall my time with my servants. It was an Indian saber if I recalled correctly.
"It's like a saber. It's an Indian design, if I recall correctly." I reply. "But don't quote me." I add, sipping my water. Harry nods.
"So, it sounds like he's a pretty medium boss, regarding weight and speed." Kunimittz comments. Dale and Klein nod. They finish their plates and drinks.
"Well, we are going ahead. I want to turn in early, since I'm going back into the dungeon tomorrow." Klein states, standing up, followed by Dale. Issin stands up as well.
"Guess I'll follow you back then. We can all go together." Issin states.
"Goodnight!" I call out to them.
"See you in the morning!" Kunimittz says, watching them head for the door.
"Good night!" Dale responds as they leave the house, heading for home. I resume eating as I listen to the others.
"So, you think mystery chick was going to the dungeon every day? She had to have been if she was so exhausted." Harry comments, sipping his beer. Dynamm shrugs and Kunimittz strokes his chin.
"I wouldn't exactly be surprised. She could be desperate to get out of here." Kunimittz hypothesizes.
"Right, but it's a bit reckless, isn't it? Sure, it's fine to push yourself. I mean, we've been pushing ourselves, we were within like… the first 10 people to reach Tolbana." Dynamm counters, shaking his head. "Pushing yourself til you pass out in a dungeon just seems… beyond rational." He adds. I shrug.
"Maybe she's not rational." I suggest, looking at the others as they look at me. I sip my water.
"How so?" Harry asks.
"Simple. We're in a death game. Death breathes down our neck every minute. Sure, we're gamers but at the end of the day, we're just that. Our "sword skills" are those from video games using a controller. We grew up in a society not wanting for anything. Healthcare is subsidized by the state, food is a walk away, a job is in an airconditioned room in a safe building, you can drive or take a train where you want to go. Compared to this? You might not eat every day, jobs can kill you, healthcare is not subsidized in any way. That's a lot of extra stress factors, not to mention most of us are kids, teens, and young adults, not equipped to handle high stress like this. No doubt some people would break down or snap." I explain, then shrug.
"Strong point. I think if I was alone here, I'd have buckled under the stress and stayed in the Town of Beginnings." Dynamm responds, nodding.
"Yeah, I'd at best take things very cautiously." Harry agrees. He looks at Kunimittz. "What about you?"
"I dunno. I hadn't given myself much thought. I'd probably feel bad about myself for a bit then join some party and try my best to get out of here." Kunimittz responds, scratching his chin. He shrugs. "But, I dunno."
I finish my plate and my water. I look at the others.
"Well, I'm heading back home. I'm pretty tired myself and I want to check on Artoria and see if I'll be sleeping on the couch tonight or if my bed has been relinquished." I state, standing up. "G'night." I add, turning for the door.
"Good night, Kaze." Kunimittz responds. Dynamm nods.
"Night!" Dynamm says, waving.
"See you in the morning maybe, since we'll probably both be shopping." Harry calls out as I open the door and step out into the night.
I reach my house with no issue. I yawn and rub my face, placing my hand on the door handle and heading inside. I look around and see Artoria at the dining table with a cup of hot tea. Sitting opposite of her is a rather attractive if delicate looking girl, wearing a dark red cape. Her hood was down, revealing her chestnut-orange hair, with a crowning french braid that reminded me of some of the hairstyles that Artoria in her lancer form sometimes had. The girl is staring at me, expressionless except for a subtle hint of surprise in her eyes.
"Evenin'" I say simply, nodding to her and heading into my room. She didn't bid me a greeting in return.
Well, she's awake. There's that. I think to myself as I change out of my armor and into some basic casual clothes. I hear the mumble of conversation outside my room. Or, I hear Artoria. Not really the other girl.
Ah, no wonder Artoria seemed relieved I was back. Sounds like this girl's not very talkative. Artoria is not very charismatic or extroverted herself. I think, chuckling as I step out of my bedroom. Artoria looks at me, a flash of desperation in her eyes, a hope for salvation. The other girl watches me curiously, but again, the expression was in a subtle glint in her eyes. The rest of her body and facial language was that of distance.
I walk into the kitchen, grabbing a mug and filling it with hot water and making some tea for myself. I then walk over and sit at the table, between the two awkward girls. I look at Artoria and nod.
"Well, sleeping beauty is awake I see." I remark, looking over at the girl, her makes a subtle frown at my comment. I cock my head.
"So, my name's Kazemaru." I introduce myself to the girl, who looks at me, her rather depressing hazel eyes seeming to disinterestedly assess me. Artoria seems to pick up on something, looking between us and frowning. She stands up.
"I'm going to run out and buy more tea before the store closes." She explains, excusing herself. I glance over to watch her go.
Damn, she's sharper than she looks, she really must see right through me, even without her Fae abilities. I think. I look back at the girl.
"I'm not going to hurt you. If I intended to, I would have done so while you were passed out." I state, trying to reassure her. She looks away, looking out the window.
"Asuna." She states simply, quietly. Had I not been used to dealing with some very soft spoken servants, I'd possibly have missed what she had said. I nod.
"Asuna huh. Well, my party mate saved you from the dungeon. Seems you passed out." I explain. She simply nods faintly, almost imperceptibly.
"Artoria explained to me." She responds softly, almost monotonously. She pulls her hood back over her head. I mask a frown by rubbing my mouth and lower face.
Not good with people are you? I think to myself, assuming she must be relying on the cape to avoid drawing attention to herself or make eye contact with others. I nod.
"Did she feed you?" I ask simply, earning myself a simple nod again. I take a sipe from my tea, trying to figure out how best to approach this. I was thankful at least for Artoria giving us privacy so I could let down my own barriers if needed to get through to her.
"So, why did you push yourself so hard? You should have taken more breaks. Passing out in the dungeon could have been a death sentence if part of my party hadn't come along." I inquire inquisitively, watching her closely.
"I don't care. At least I'd die on my terms." She responds after a moment. I stare at her as she stares down at her barely touched cup of tea. I look around the room, thinking.
Well shit, how do I respond to something like that? I think to myself. I sip my tea and think. On the plus side, she was shut off enough that I didn't feel rushed with my thoughts and responses. Silver linings I suppose. I think, then sigh. I look at Asuna and decide to take the radical approach. I reach out, flicking the hood off her head, earning a surprised look at me and a flash of annoyance as well. I point at her as if making a finger gun.
"Ever consider just giving a shit about your life instead?" I ask her firmly, locking eyes with her. She stares in stunned silence. I grin softly. "Heh, so you do feel something." I add, smirking more. She scowls.
"What are you trying to do? I said I don't care if I die." Asuna snaps back, irritated. I shrug.
"Doesn't seem that way to me. You give a shit about me flicking the hood off your head and dismissing your pity party, but you don't care about your life? Seems kinda out of order, no?" I ask her, refusing to be the one to break eye contact. She squints angrily at me and I squint back.
Hoh… not backing down huh? Seems you have some pride or backbone in you after all. I think to myself.
"Pity party? I just don't want to be here. I want to get out of here. I didn't ask for a rescue. I'm not here for food or tea. I'm here to kill until either I die or I clear the game." She snaps back, her lip curling slightly with anger.
"Seems there's a preferable choice out of those two." I reply calmly. She huffs, breaking eye contact to look into the shadows of the living room.
"I'm in a death game. I just want out. If I die, so be it." She replies monotonously. I watch her and sigh. I get up and walk into my room, grabbing my sword and walking back out. I toss it onto the table, with it skidding across the table, knocking my cup of tea to the floor. Asuna leans back in startled surprise at the sudden outburst.
"If you want out so bad, there's your solution. You said you don't give a shit if you live or die right? That's the easy way out." I reply firmly, laying my hands on the table and leaning forward as she stares at the sword, then at me, then back at the sword.
"I want to get out of here and I don't care if I die as long as it's trying to get out of here!" She snaps back, finding an edge of fury. "What the hell is wrong with you for suggesting that!?" She adds, standing up. I stare her down.
"I'll tell you why. Because I've seen the same warped world view you have and it's bullshit!" I shout back, slamming my fist on the table. "This is your life now! Everyone is doing their part. Fighting and trying to survive. Despite the fear of death, we've all found little slivers of life in this world!" I continue. I was a bit surprised myself at how worked up I was.
But how else am I supposed to respond? My world was destroyed, twice. I don't even know if I'll ever see my parents again. I can't protect anyone. Yet I'm still here, pushing on for god knows what reason. She has it so much better and she's so callous with it! I think furiously to myself as we stare each other down, the tension cuttable with a knife.
"And I am just trying to get out of here!" She shouts back. I groan painfully and shake my head.
"So are we! So are we all! We have family and friends we want to return to! Do you think your family would be fine with you throwing your life away?!" I snap back. She scowls but doesn't immediately respond, clearly realizing she had no direct answer to that. She scowls more.
"So then I should get back to them as soon as possible!" She counters defensively.
"Yeah, as soon as possible doesn't mean you throw everything away in a mad, suicidal dash. Armies and people fight on their stomachs. Morale and all that is important. Listen, my party regularly hangs out after quests, drinking and making merry. It's those moments that make the stress, fear, and struggle bearable. Slow down, find beauty in life. Sometimes even hell has something worth seeing." I return, flashes of the Lostbelts and singularities passing through my mind. Asuna stares at me, she exhales, still angry, but her anger cooling.
"I don't need that." She says, angrily and dismissively as she sits back down.
She seems to have a streak of pride in her. I wonder…
"Fine. Prove it then. After a week, if you still feel the same, then you can leave, but you will join my party." I respond, offering a sly smirk.